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Bah, Weddings
Mar. 6th, 2009 | 12:18 am
mood: 
depressed
Monday evening, we ventured out through the snow and the cold to meet with our prospective wedding chaplain. We met up with him at a coffee shop and chatted for a bit to see if we liked him well enough. The meeting went well and we opted to book him.
After the meeting was over, Chris and I went next door to the David’s Bridal and for shits and giggles, I tried on a wedding dress. The dress looked rather good, though it was tremendously heavy and did not make my poor back happy when I was lifting it to put it on. Damned scoliosis.
I liked the top of the dress, but not the skirt. The skirt is just too poufy. Primarily, I wanted to try that style of dress on because I thought that the halter style top would look good on me, and I believe that I was right...it does. :)
We ended up having a nice evening out and stopped for dinner before heading back home over the bad roads. I was relieved that we were able to get out to meet with the chaplain because I had taken a vacation day off from work to facilitate being able to meet him. He only meets with prospective couples on weekday evenings and I work weekday evenings.
I have never been the sort of female who has dreamed of her perfect wedding day, but I am learning to despair over the frills that I will not be able to afford.
At the very least, we have put the deposit down for our chaplain. I consider his services to be the most important overall. Without someone to legally officiate the wedding, everything else means nothing and ends up equating to an overpriced party.
Our financial situation is not that great, but that seems to be the norm for most people these days. We have started putting together our wedding party. I have asked three of my friends to be bridesmaids. When I asked them, I explained how I would prefer that for their bridesmaid gowns, they choose an attractive black dress from what they already own. Back when we bought our dresses for one friend’s wedding, times were different and it was not hard to shoulder the cost of a bridesmaid dress. Now, I would feel dreadful to have to ask someone to spend over $100 or more on a dress that they might not get another chance to wear. To create some unity in the bridal party, I think that we’re going to try to make sashes or something in one of our wedding colors for the ladies to wear. Speaking of making things, I am planning to make wire bead bouquets rather than have flowers. I am not a big fan of flowers and the bead bouquets will last longer. Granted, I cannot toss a bead bouquet, so we have picked up some fake flowers from Walmart and I have already assembled most of what will be my tossing bouquet.
I want a fun celebration of my union with Chris. I want to have a wedding and reception that makes the trip that my relatives from NY would have to take to get down here seem worthwhile. Yeah, on one hand maybe they should just be happy to share in the special day, but on the other hand, I want to ensure that the reception has plenty of tasty food and that there is fun to be had if we can afford a DJ. I do not want to drag my relatives down here for a quick beach wedding and some crackers and Easy Cheese and cheap rotgut at the nearest VFW hall while we listen to my Ipod.
It is depressing to attempt to plan a wedding when it is a struggle to try and keep the basic bills of life paid. On one hand, there is the desire to be optimistic that the money to fund a reasonable wedding will magically manifest and that all will be well, but then there is the pessimistic side that knows that unexpected events will repeatedly manifest and drain any funds that we manage to accumulate. Right now, I am living paycheck to paycheck and nothing ever accumulates in my checking account.
At one point, I contemplated putting together a raffle drawing at $10 a ticket to raffle off the honor of walking me down the aisle and giving me away since my father has passed away. I was also thinking of giving my own damned self away since I’m not chattel but the raffle idea has some appeal. After pondering whether or not the raffle would be a legal idea in NJ, I started thinking about putting together an Ebay auction to sell the opportunity to give me away. Maybe that is not the greatest idea since then any nut could win the auction.
After the meeting was over, Chris and I went next door to the David’s Bridal and for shits and giggles, I tried on a wedding dress. The dress looked rather good, though it was tremendously heavy and did not make my poor back happy when I was lifting it to put it on. Damned scoliosis.
I liked the top of the dress, but not the skirt. The skirt is just too poufy. Primarily, I wanted to try that style of dress on because I thought that the halter style top would look good on me, and I believe that I was right...it does. :)
We ended up having a nice evening out and stopped for dinner before heading back home over the bad roads. I was relieved that we were able to get out to meet with the chaplain because I had taken a vacation day off from work to facilitate being able to meet him. He only meets with prospective couples on weekday evenings and I work weekday evenings.
I have never been the sort of female who has dreamed of her perfect wedding day, but I am learning to despair over the frills that I will not be able to afford.
At the very least, we have put the deposit down for our chaplain. I consider his services to be the most important overall. Without someone to legally officiate the wedding, everything else means nothing and ends up equating to an overpriced party.
Our financial situation is not that great, but that seems to be the norm for most people these days. We have started putting together our wedding party. I have asked three of my friends to be bridesmaids. When I asked them, I explained how I would prefer that for their bridesmaid gowns, they choose an attractive black dress from what they already own. Back when we bought our dresses for one friend’s wedding, times were different and it was not hard to shoulder the cost of a bridesmaid dress. Now, I would feel dreadful to have to ask someone to spend over $100 or more on a dress that they might not get another chance to wear. To create some unity in the bridal party, I think that we’re going to try to make sashes or something in one of our wedding colors for the ladies to wear. Speaking of making things, I am planning to make wire bead bouquets rather than have flowers. I am not a big fan of flowers and the bead bouquets will last longer. Granted, I cannot toss a bead bouquet, so we have picked up some fake flowers from Walmart and I have already assembled most of what will be my tossing bouquet.
I want a fun celebration of my union with Chris. I want to have a wedding and reception that makes the trip that my relatives from NY would have to take to get down here seem worthwhile. Yeah, on one hand maybe they should just be happy to share in the special day, but on the other hand, I want to ensure that the reception has plenty of tasty food and that there is fun to be had if we can afford a DJ. I do not want to drag my relatives down here for a quick beach wedding and some crackers and Easy Cheese and cheap rotgut at the nearest VFW hall while we listen to my Ipod.
It is depressing to attempt to plan a wedding when it is a struggle to try and keep the basic bills of life paid. On one hand, there is the desire to be optimistic that the money to fund a reasonable wedding will magically manifest and that all will be well, but then there is the pessimistic side that knows that unexpected events will repeatedly manifest and drain any funds that we manage to accumulate. Right now, I am living paycheck to paycheck and nothing ever accumulates in my checking account.
At one point, I contemplated putting together a raffle drawing at $10 a ticket to raffle off the honor of walking me down the aisle and giving me away since my father has passed away. I was also thinking of giving my own damned self away since I’m not chattel but the raffle idea has some appeal. After pondering whether or not the raffle would be a legal idea in NJ, I started thinking about putting together an Ebay auction to sell the opportunity to give me away. Maybe that is not the greatest idea since then any nut could win the auction.
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We Set a Date
Jan. 31st, 2009 | 10:38 pm
Finally, we set a date for our wedding: May 15, 2010. This is subject to change, though. For the most part, I like the date because it's divisible by 5. That has no particular meaning, but I just like that fact for some reason.
We're considering having our wedding on the beach near where his parents have a beach house. So, I chose the date in part because it won't be too warm out yet and our guests may still be able to locate parking.
We have absolutely no idea how we're going to pay for anything. It's a crap shoot.
We've been together for over 6 years now and are very happy together and it's just time that we got married.
Man, this is going to mess up my signature. I've gotten used to signing my name as it is in a scribble which makes it look as though I am "Heath J M."
Right, so we're working on figuring things out.
I tried to talk him into having him and the groomsmen wear nice shorts and Hawaiian shirts, but he's hardcore set on wearing a tuxedo.
We're considering having our wedding on the beach near where his parents have a beach house. So, I chose the date in part because it won't be too warm out yet and our guests may still be able to locate parking.
We have absolutely no idea how we're going to pay for anything. It's a crap shoot.
We've been together for over 6 years now and are very happy together and it's just time that we got married.
Man, this is going to mess up my signature. I've gotten used to signing my name as it is in a scribble which makes it look as though I am "Heath J M."
Right, so we're working on figuring things out.
I tried to talk him into having him and the groomsmen wear nice shorts and Hawaiian shirts, but he's hardcore set on wearing a tuxedo.
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Quizzy
Sep. 21st, 2008 | 05:51 pm
Your result for The Who Would You Be in 1400 AD Test...
The Harlequin
You scored 50% Cardinal, 41% Monk, 44% Lady, and 24% Knight!
You are a mystery, a jack-of-all-trades. You have the king's ear, but also listen to murmurings of the common folk. You believe in the value of force and also literature. Truly you are the puzzlement of the age.
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Nacho Cat
Jul. 6th, 2008 | 09:33 pm
I have lost track of time. It has probably almost a month since a yellow tomcat appeared in my backyard. He was quite skittish at first and was living out of my garage. Through appropriate cat befriending techniques, Chris and I were able to win over the kitty's trust.
Our next door neighbor had stated that the cat belonged to another nearby neighbor. So, I gave that neighbor a call but their cat of similar description was sitting right in front of them when I called. No one has come forth to claim the kitty, which I had dubbed "Nacho Cat."
Considering that we feed him and provide him with food and water, he might be our cat by now. We haven't allowed him inside because of Claws. She never seemed to like other cats and I have not taken Nacho to the vet yet. I'm not going to let him inside until I know that he's not carrying feline pestilence. He seems healthy enough. He has also become quite friendly. He demands pettings and often runs up to greet us when we return home.
( Here be large pictures... )
Our next door neighbor had stated that the cat belonged to another nearby neighbor. So, I gave that neighbor a call but their cat of similar description was sitting right in front of them when I called. No one has come forth to claim the kitty, which I had dubbed "Nacho Cat."
Considering that we feed him and provide him with food and water, he might be our cat by now. We haven't allowed him inside because of Claws. She never seemed to like other cats and I have not taken Nacho to the vet yet. I'm not going to let him inside until I know that he's not carrying feline pestilence. He seems healthy enough. He has also become quite friendly. He demands pettings and often runs up to greet us when we return home.
( Here be large pictures... )
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Stupidity Flows Like Water
May. 4th, 2008 | 10:05 pm
mood: 
annoyed
My job is going well so far. Supposedly, after my 90-day temp contract is up, the company will hire me on as a permanent employee. Yay. Although the job is not in my field, the pay rate is acceptable for the area in which I live, the work is simple and most of my coworkers are pleasant enough, I am inclined to wish to stay on with this company.
Though, I recently learned that some of the employees are...damn, I cannot really politely describe this. They are gullible, easily scammed, etc.
One of the supervisors is associated with Quixtar, which I believe is also somewhat associate with Amway. We’ll call him, “John.” John has been telling his fellow employees about this “Perfect Water” that he will soon be selling. It’s “empowered drinking water” and is described as being “The ultimate fluid to empower your body and mind.” It’s purified, remineralized, ionized, microstructured and oxygen rich. A 16.9 fl oz bottle sells for about $2.
John has been giving demonstrations at work to display the awesome powers of this glorified tap water. In the first one, he has the victim stand with their feet shoulders distance apart. He then asks them to raise their arms and extend them. So, now they are standing as a “T.” Next, the victim sights their gaze down one of their arms and then turns without twisting their hips as far as they can while still gazing down the length of their arm. Next, he asks the victim to stand with their feet together and their arms down along their sides with their hands bent at their writs with their palms up. He then places his fist in their palm and applies a downward pressure. This knocks the victim off balance. After that, the fun starts.
He brings out his bottle of “Perfect Water™” and pours them a 1oz shot of it. The victim drinks it and is then asked to repeat the previous tests. On the second stretch, the victim is able to turn somewhat further. When he applies the balance test, the victim is not knocked over. The improvement in stretch and balance is credited to a shot of water which has just barely hit the victim’s stomach. The victim is almost always impressed with the improvements and often says something along the lines of, “I’m not sure how that works, but damn...it works!”
Every time I see a demonstration conducted in the office, I want to beat my head against my desk. I cannot believe how easily duped some people are. The association between the water and the improvements in flexibility and balance increases every time someone in the office sees the demonstration.
I’ve done some research online to learn what I can about the tests and the bogus water. As far as the flexibility test goes, each stretch after the first, cold stretch will be an improvement as the muscles warm up. I even demonstrated this for myself during one break. While in the ladies’ room, I did the stretch test and found that after every stretch, I was able to twist just a bit further. Friday night, I went home and did the balance test on Chris. I demonstrated how if the test is applied one way, the victim is pulled off balance but just a subtle shift of the applied force will keep the victim standing upright.
Thursday night, I had asked one of the duped supervisors for her bottle of “Perfect Water™” after she was finished with it. She delivered it Friday to me while John was right there in the office and she seemed to make sure that he knew that she was delivering the bottle to me. Later, one of the other dupes, another supervisor, told Steve how the “psychology graduate” over there wanted to do an experiment, etc. Well, there goes any validity for any experiment that I might have conducted at this office. Next time, I may have to school people on the subject of discretion. Then again, they had both already bought into the bogus water and were now John’s disciples, so I guess that I really couldn’t expect them to not betray him.
At least there are 2-3 other people that come and go through the office who are on my side. It’s nice to know that there are still some people out there who are not as easily duped and still possess critical minds.
The situation still makes me want to bang my head. I’m not sure how to further interact with the dupes should the subject of this bogus water be brought up again. Considering that I would like to continue on at this site as a permanent employee, I would prefer to avoid pissing off any supervisors or making people out to look like fools.
Though, I recently learned that some of the employees are...damn, I cannot really politely describe this. They are gullible, easily scammed, etc.
One of the supervisors is associated with Quixtar, which I believe is also somewhat associate with Amway. We’ll call him, “John.” John has been telling his fellow employees about this “Perfect Water” that he will soon be selling. It’s “empowered drinking water” and is described as being “The ultimate fluid to empower your body and mind.” It’s purified, remineralized, ionized, microstructured and oxygen rich. A 16.9 fl oz bottle sells for about $2.
John has been giving demonstrations at work to display the awesome powers of this glorified tap water. In the first one, he has the victim stand with their feet shoulders distance apart. He then asks them to raise their arms and extend them. So, now they are standing as a “T.” Next, the victim sights their gaze down one of their arms and then turns without twisting their hips as far as they can while still gazing down the length of their arm. Next, he asks the victim to stand with their feet together and their arms down along their sides with their hands bent at their writs with their palms up. He then places his fist in their palm and applies a downward pressure. This knocks the victim off balance. After that, the fun starts.
He brings out his bottle of “Perfect Water™” and pours them a 1oz shot of it. The victim drinks it and is then asked to repeat the previous tests. On the second stretch, the victim is able to turn somewhat further. When he applies the balance test, the victim is not knocked over. The improvement in stretch and balance is credited to a shot of water which has just barely hit the victim’s stomach. The victim is almost always impressed with the improvements and often says something along the lines of, “I’m not sure how that works, but damn...it works!”
Every time I see a demonstration conducted in the office, I want to beat my head against my desk. I cannot believe how easily duped some people are. The association between the water and the improvements in flexibility and balance increases every time someone in the office sees the demonstration.
I’ve done some research online to learn what I can about the tests and the bogus water. As far as the flexibility test goes, each stretch after the first, cold stretch will be an improvement as the muscles warm up. I even demonstrated this for myself during one break. While in the ladies’ room, I did the stretch test and found that after every stretch, I was able to twist just a bit further. Friday night, I went home and did the balance test on Chris. I demonstrated how if the test is applied one way, the victim is pulled off balance but just a subtle shift of the applied force will keep the victim standing upright.
Thursday night, I had asked one of the duped supervisors for her bottle of “Perfect Water™” after she was finished with it. She delivered it Friday to me while John was right there in the office and she seemed to make sure that he knew that she was delivering the bottle to me. Later, one of the other dupes, another supervisor, told Steve how the “psychology graduate” over there wanted to do an experiment, etc. Well, there goes any validity for any experiment that I might have conducted at this office. Next time, I may have to school people on the subject of discretion. Then again, they had both already bought into the bogus water and were now John’s disciples, so I guess that I really couldn’t expect them to not betray him.
At least there are 2-3 other people that come and go through the office who are on my side. It’s nice to know that there are still some people out there who are not as easily duped and still possess critical minds.
The situation still makes me want to bang my head. I’m not sure how to further interact with the dupes should the subject of this bogus water be brought up again. Considering that I would like to continue on at this site as a permanent employee, I would prefer to avoid pissing off any supervisors or making people out to look like fools.
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Sacroiliaooouch.
Apr. 28th, 2008 | 01:03 pm
My back pain comes and goes, but when it is present...it really makes itself know. I have prominent rotoscoliosis of the thoracolumbar, and I am beginning to suspect that there is at least one more issue. On Friday, I visited my chiropractor for the first time in a while. Due to my new job, I now have the money to get an occasional alignment.
The alignment went well on Friday morning but I managed to hurt myself getting into my car to leave the doctor’s office. I should have gone right back in, but I was in a lot of pain and really wanted to go back home. Something in the vicinity of my hip had popped when I sat down in my car. The pain was quite special.
I went home and applied ice to affected vicinity. I called and left a message on my chiropractor’s answering machine requesting an appointment for Monday due to my injury. Idiot that I am, I still had it in my mind that I was going to go to work for my 2:30pm-11pm shift. I even limped out of the house at the appropriate time to get to work, but as soon as the door to my house was firmly shut behind me, I realized that I had locked my keys inside. I felt really special.
My neighbors have a copy of my house key, but I wasn’t sure if they were home. Earlier when I had left to go to my chiropractor appointment, my neighbors had been out. I carefully lurched around the corner of my house and was relieved to see that they were home. Trudging across our lawns to get to their backdoor was not a fun experience. I got in and they wanted to chitchat for a bit, then I begged off stating that I had to either get to work or call out. I put the copy of my key in my pocket to avoid dropping it on the way back. Were I to drop it, I would not be able to retrieve it on my own.
By the time that I got back inside my house, I decided that it would be best if I called out of work. I was in a screaming amount of pain. I called my temp agency and told the receptionist that I was calling out. She asked for a number where I could be reached in case either of the agents had to speak to me. The cordless for our home phone was dead and I knew that I’d not be able to get up to answer the phone and didn’t want to rely on my cell phone. I gave her the number to the other cordless phone, which goes to the “Magic Jack” computer phone that I had set up a few days ago.
While I was lying in pain with a blue ice pack down the back of my jeans, the temp agency called. It was the harsher of the two agents. She had spoken with my work supervisor and made it out as though it would be a terrible thing if I did not go in, at least for a few hours. She made it sound as though the supervisor had been frantic or such. I relented and told her that I could go in but only if there was a parking spot open near the door and if someone else would help me with the bending and lifting portions of my job. The agent called the supervisor and called me back. My conditions could be met.
My chiropractor also called me back and could get me in as soon as I got back to her office. So, I made a quick stop at the chiropractor’s office before heading off to be at work at 4pm. The second visit to the chiropractor seemed to help, though some aspects of the treatment were painful enough to make me cry out in pain a few times.
I made it to my office in time to start work at 4pm. Of course the story from that side was different and my supervisor seemed rather understanding about my injury. There was one other person there who could have performed my job tasks, thought it would have meant she would have had to work a second shift, more or less. I was told that I could go if I wasn’t able to manage, but I am a masochist and decided to stay. The other ladies in the office were helpful with the tasks that I needed assistance with. I wasn’t even “allowed” to get up to go refill my own water bottle. I managed to make it through most of my shift before another supervisor said that I could go home.
It does not seem as though I damaged myself by going it. Chris and I were supposed to attend the engagement party of two of our friends, but I felt that I could not go. I spent most of Saturday in bed experiencing some dreadful moments of pain. A two hour car drive would not have suited me and I would have been miserable at the party. Overall, I spent most of the weekend in bed recuperating. I am not fully healed now, but I am a lot better off than I had been over the weekend.
I now feel that I have evidence that I have issues with my sacroiliac joint, which is what I had popped on my left side on Friday. Several times before, I had described to my doctor how I felt at times as though my spine and my hips would disengage. Now, I feel that I better understand why I have thought that.
The alignment went well on Friday morning but I managed to hurt myself getting into my car to leave the doctor’s office. I should have gone right back in, but I was in a lot of pain and really wanted to go back home. Something in the vicinity of my hip had popped when I sat down in my car. The pain was quite special.
I went home and applied ice to affected vicinity. I called and left a message on my chiropractor’s answering machine requesting an appointment for Monday due to my injury. Idiot that I am, I still had it in my mind that I was going to go to work for my 2:30pm-11pm shift. I even limped out of the house at the appropriate time to get to work, but as soon as the door to my house was firmly shut behind me, I realized that I had locked my keys inside. I felt really special.
My neighbors have a copy of my house key, but I wasn’t sure if they were home. Earlier when I had left to go to my chiropractor appointment, my neighbors had been out. I carefully lurched around the corner of my house and was relieved to see that they were home. Trudging across our lawns to get to their backdoor was not a fun experience. I got in and they wanted to chitchat for a bit, then I begged off stating that I had to either get to work or call out. I put the copy of my key in my pocket to avoid dropping it on the way back. Were I to drop it, I would not be able to retrieve it on my own.
By the time that I got back inside my house, I decided that it would be best if I called out of work. I was in a screaming amount of pain. I called my temp agency and told the receptionist that I was calling out. She asked for a number where I could be reached in case either of the agents had to speak to me. The cordless for our home phone was dead and I knew that I’d not be able to get up to answer the phone and didn’t want to rely on my cell phone. I gave her the number to the other cordless phone, which goes to the “Magic Jack” computer phone that I had set up a few days ago.
While I was lying in pain with a blue ice pack down the back of my jeans, the temp agency called. It was the harsher of the two agents. She had spoken with my work supervisor and made it out as though it would be a terrible thing if I did not go in, at least for a few hours. She made it sound as though the supervisor had been frantic or such. I relented and told her that I could go in but only if there was a parking spot open near the door and if someone else would help me with the bending and lifting portions of my job. The agent called the supervisor and called me back. My conditions could be met.
My chiropractor also called me back and could get me in as soon as I got back to her office. So, I made a quick stop at the chiropractor’s office before heading off to be at work at 4pm. The second visit to the chiropractor seemed to help, though some aspects of the treatment were painful enough to make me cry out in pain a few times.
I made it to my office in time to start work at 4pm. Of course the story from that side was different and my supervisor seemed rather understanding about my injury. There was one other person there who could have performed my job tasks, thought it would have meant she would have had to work a second shift, more or less. I was told that I could go if I wasn’t able to manage, but I am a masochist and decided to stay. The other ladies in the office were helpful with the tasks that I needed assistance with. I wasn’t even “allowed” to get up to go refill my own water bottle. I managed to make it through most of my shift before another supervisor said that I could go home.
It does not seem as though I damaged myself by going it. Chris and I were supposed to attend the engagement party of two of our friends, but I felt that I could not go. I spent most of Saturday in bed experiencing some dreadful moments of pain. A two hour car drive would not have suited me and I would have been miserable at the party. Overall, I spent most of the weekend in bed recuperating. I am not fully healed now, but I am a lot better off than I had been over the weekend.
I now feel that I have evidence that I have issues with my sacroiliac joint, which is what I had popped on my left side on Friday. Several times before, I had described to my doctor how I felt at times as though my spine and my hips would disengage. Now, I feel that I better understand why I have thought that.
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Now with 85% fewer suicidal thoughts.
Apr. 13th, 2008 | 07:27 pm
mood: 
optimistic
Right, so it has been a while since my last update.
Neither of the interviews mentioned in my February 22nd entry resulted in the beginning of any illustrious careers. Neither the nonprofit organization nor the construction company were interested in my skills. I found out the bad news from the construction company first and when the nonprofit turned me down later, my depression increased tremendously.
The day that I received the email from the nonprofit, which informed me that I was not selected for the position, was one of my lowest days in recent memory. I have a lot of bills primarily because I lived off of credit cards while attending college and not working during the school year. Yes, it was not the brightest of plans but what is done is done. Now, I just have to climb back out of the hole that I have dug for myself.
That day, I ended up writing a rather depressed email to one of my sisters. Even though Chris was doing his best to assist financially during this time, it was not enough. Creditors were calling, utilities needed to be paid and so on. I probably sounded damned near suicidal in my email. My sister called me a day or so later and offered to send me $500 free of charge so long as I promised to pass it along to another person in need when I could afford to.
Her gift helped to keep things afloat here at Raisin Acres. Chris and I managed to scrape together enough money to pay up on our past due property taxes. We had to cash in a life insurance policy of mine to do it, but we managed. So far, we have managed to keep our utilities on. Yay for our big hairy balls.
I continued my job search and kept calling the one temp agency that I had been in contact with during this time. Nothing seemed to be forthcoming from that agency, so I also enlisted the assistance of another one that I have been affiliated with in the past. The second agency set me up for an interview for a call center job about an hour’s drive from home. I passed the interview and was selected for one of the client’s phone campaigns.
The only problem was that the client had not yet set a date for training to begin for the particular campaign that I was chosen to work on. (By campaign, I merely mean which program I would be working for under their roof, which included MLB related sales, health insurance and FL property insurance campaigns.) So, in theory, I had a job. I went in the next day to the second temp agency to finalize my paperwork for the forthcoming call center job and to take the drug test. Then, I went home to wait for the temp agency to call me to tell me when the client would begin training for the campaign that I was on.
The waiting continued for about a week, maybe. It was frustrating. The bill collectors were still calling. It felt ineffectual to tell them that I “had” job, but I just didn’t know when it would start. Luckily, the first temp agency finally called me with an opportunity. They set me up with an interview at a company not far from an area that I had worked in before.
I went on the interview and was immediately selected by the client. I started the job two weeks ago and so far, things have been good. The person that I am replacing is moving up to another job with the company and she has been training me for the last two weeks. I think that Monday is my last day of training with her. My job is basically that of a computer operator. I work in a shipping office and release waves for the warehouse employees to pick, pack and load. There are also other functions to the job as well. The pay is quite decent for my area and the job is less than 30 minutes from my house.
So, things are looking up. Hopefully things will continue to improve. I feel less stressed now that I am working again. Some of my eczema spots had flared up during my time of stress, but they seem to be improving now. Overall, I am feeling better than I did prior to finding gainful employment.
Neither of the interviews mentioned in my February 22nd entry resulted in the beginning of any illustrious careers. Neither the nonprofit organization nor the construction company were interested in my skills. I found out the bad news from the construction company first and when the nonprofit turned me down later, my depression increased tremendously.
The day that I received the email from the nonprofit, which informed me that I was not selected for the position, was one of my lowest days in recent memory. I have a lot of bills primarily because I lived off of credit cards while attending college and not working during the school year. Yes, it was not the brightest of plans but what is done is done. Now, I just have to climb back out of the hole that I have dug for myself.
That day, I ended up writing a rather depressed email to one of my sisters. Even though Chris was doing his best to assist financially during this time, it was not enough. Creditors were calling, utilities needed to be paid and so on. I probably sounded damned near suicidal in my email. My sister called me a day or so later and offered to send me $500 free of charge so long as I promised to pass it along to another person in need when I could afford to.
Her gift helped to keep things afloat here at Raisin Acres. Chris and I managed to scrape together enough money to pay up on our past due property taxes. We had to cash in a life insurance policy of mine to do it, but we managed. So far, we have managed to keep our utilities on. Yay for our big hairy balls.
I continued my job search and kept calling the one temp agency that I had been in contact with during this time. Nothing seemed to be forthcoming from that agency, so I also enlisted the assistance of another one that I have been affiliated with in the past. The second agency set me up for an interview for a call center job about an hour’s drive from home. I passed the interview and was selected for one of the client’s phone campaigns.
The only problem was that the client had not yet set a date for training to begin for the particular campaign that I was chosen to work on. (By campaign, I merely mean which program I would be working for under their roof, which included MLB related sales, health insurance and FL property insurance campaigns.) So, in theory, I had a job. I went in the next day to the second temp agency to finalize my paperwork for the forthcoming call center job and to take the drug test. Then, I went home to wait for the temp agency to call me to tell me when the client would begin training for the campaign that I was on.
The waiting continued for about a week, maybe. It was frustrating. The bill collectors were still calling. It felt ineffectual to tell them that I “had” job, but I just didn’t know when it would start. Luckily, the first temp agency finally called me with an opportunity. They set me up with an interview at a company not far from an area that I had worked in before.
I went on the interview and was immediately selected by the client. I started the job two weeks ago and so far, things have been good. The person that I am replacing is moving up to another job with the company and she has been training me for the last two weeks. I think that Monday is my last day of training with her. My job is basically that of a computer operator. I work in a shipping office and release waves for the warehouse employees to pick, pack and load. There are also other functions to the job as well. The pay is quite decent for my area and the job is less than 30 minutes from my house.
So, things are looking up. Hopefully things will continue to improve. I feel less stressed now that I am working again. Some of my eczema spots had flared up during my time of stress, but they seem to be improving now. Overall, I am feeling better than I did prior to finding gainful employment.
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Interviews on the Horizon
Feb. 22nd, 2008 | 03:35 pm
The change in my diet has helped to improve several aspects of my wellbeing so far. I have shed 19lbs since January 19th and this loss has helped to improve my back problems. My mood has been uncharacteristically upbeat lately. The mood improvements often feel somewhat alien to me. I will be bopping along in a good mood and then have to stop and ponder what is gong on and well, it just feels odd at times to feel good.
In other news, I hope that my financial situation will soon improve. I have two interviews coming up. One was scheduled for today around noon, but my contact person at the organization emailed me yesterday to postpone our meeting until Monday due to the bad weather that was predicted for Friday. The interview was scheduled back on Tuesday and I’ve been on pins and needles since then in anticipation. Now, I have longer to go before the interview actually happens. I have an interview with a construction company on Tuesday for an administrative position. The call for that interview came in today. It feels nice to have 2 interviews scheduled. The more interviews that I have, the more likely I will be to get hired somewhere...or so I hope.
The first interview on Monday is the one that I really hope will work out. The organization is a non-profit that works to raise funds for research on histiocytosis, a rare disease, offers support to people afflicted with the disease and helps to promote awareness of the disease. The position title is “development associate” and the entry-level job requires a number of skills that I have experience in thanks to my various office jobs and my experience with my town’s Halloween parade committee. Having a bachelors degree will also help. I think that this position would offer a lot more room for growth in the future and could actually come to utilize my psychology degree.
The interview with the construction company is for an office related position and I cannot really remember the details any more. I think that I may have found that job on CareerBuilder.com back a couple of weeks ago. I am not nearly as excited about this interview as I am the other one. This job does not sound as though it will be unpleasant, the office is not too far from home and at least it would pay the bills.
In other news, I hope that my financial situation will soon improve. I have two interviews coming up. One was scheduled for today around noon, but my contact person at the organization emailed me yesterday to postpone our meeting until Monday due to the bad weather that was predicted for Friday. The interview was scheduled back on Tuesday and I’ve been on pins and needles since then in anticipation. Now, I have longer to go before the interview actually happens. I have an interview with a construction company on Tuesday for an administrative position. The call for that interview came in today. It feels nice to have 2 interviews scheduled. The more interviews that I have, the more likely I will be to get hired somewhere...or so I hope.
The first interview on Monday is the one that I really hope will work out. The organization is a non-profit that works to raise funds for research on histiocytosis, a rare disease, offers support to people afflicted with the disease and helps to promote awareness of the disease. The position title is “development associate” and the entry-level job requires a number of skills that I have experience in thanks to my various office jobs and my experience with my town’s Halloween parade committee. Having a bachelors degree will also help. I think that this position would offer a lot more room for growth in the future and could actually come to utilize my psychology degree.
The interview with the construction company is for an office related position and I cannot really remember the details any more. I think that I may have found that job on CareerBuilder.com back a couple of weeks ago. I am not nearly as excited about this interview as I am the other one. This job does not sound as though it will be unpleasant, the office is not too far from home and at least it would pay the bills.
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By the Light of the First Quarter Moon
Feb. 15th, 2008 | 09:57 pm
mood: 
happy
We met up with some friends in Millville for Third Friday after we visited Thundersun Forge to pick up the engagement ring. Chris and I had a nice night out with our friends. There tends to be a few too many teenagers lining the streets for Third Friday, but it wasn't too bad though some of the groups of teens seemed obnoxious.
When Chris and I arrived back home, we spent a few minutes gazing at the moon and being lovey dovey. He said some sweet things about our relationship, then he went down on one knee and proposed. Surprise, surprise...I accepted his proposal.
Yay. :) I love him dearly.
When Chris and I arrived back home, we spent a few minutes gazing at the moon and being lovey dovey. He said some sweet things about our relationship, then he went down on one knee and proposed. Surprise, surprise...I accepted his proposal.
Yay. :) I love him dearly.
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What Famous Leader Are You?
Feb. 14th, 2008 | 06:09 pm
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Engaging Topic
Feb. 14th, 2008 | 05:39 pm
Well, I received a call today from the artisan, Don, who was putting our engagement ring together. It is ready for pick up. He mentioned that we’ll get an extra 10% off tomorrow when we pick it up because he’s having a special sale for Third Friday. Yay.
While I had Don on the phone, I should have asked him if we would get an extra percentage off if Chris dressed up and proposed in the middle of the shop.
I really do not know how Chris will propose, but I do hope that he will put some thought into it. Given that I have been overly involved in the spawning of the ring, I feel a bit odd. I know about the ring, I helped pick it out and we’re using my mother’s engagement diamond in my ring. Going this route has helped to save us a lot of money and it has given me a good use for my mom’s old stone, which is almost a 1/2 carat.
Basically, I would like it Chris could pull off a better proposal than my ex-fiancé and that there will be no disco balls or disco music involved. Back when my ex proposed, we were lying in bed watching TV. He casually asked if I wanted to marry him and I replied that I would, eventually. He reached down around the foot of the bed and handed me a small box and went back to watching TV. Inside the box was an engagement ring. I think that I then asked him to do it right. He turned on one of his disco lights and started up some disco music on his computer, then got down on one knee. It really wasn’t all that special, especially considering that I hate disco music.
Anyway, Chris just has to do better than that. Well, he doesn’t /have/ to, but it would definitely be nice. I generally try not to ask for much. Due to our thrifty natures, we mutually decided not to waste any money on Valentine’s Day related frivolities. I just want a nice proposal.
While I had Don on the phone, I should have asked him if we would get an extra percentage off if Chris dressed up and proposed in the middle of the shop.
I really do not know how Chris will propose, but I do hope that he will put some thought into it. Given that I have been overly involved in the spawning of the ring, I feel a bit odd. I know about the ring, I helped pick it out and we’re using my mother’s engagement diamond in my ring. Going this route has helped to save us a lot of money and it has given me a good use for my mom’s old stone, which is almost a 1/2 carat.
Basically, I would like it Chris could pull off a better proposal than my ex-fiancé and that there will be no disco balls or disco music involved. Back when my ex proposed, we were lying in bed watching TV. He casually asked if I wanted to marry him and I replied that I would, eventually. He reached down around the foot of the bed and handed me a small box and went back to watching TV. Inside the box was an engagement ring. I think that I then asked him to do it right. He turned on one of his disco lights and started up some disco music on his computer, then got down on one knee. It really wasn’t all that special, especially considering that I hate disco music.
Anyway, Chris just has to do better than that. Well, he doesn’t /have/ to, but it would definitely be nice. I generally try not to ask for much. Due to our thrifty natures, we mutually decided not to waste any money on Valentine’s Day related frivolities. I just want a nice proposal.
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Fat and Losing It
Feb. 13th, 2008 | 09:30 pm
mood: pleased
My being overweight has been a problem for so long, that I cannot precisely pinpoint when it all started. I am inclined to estimate that I started being a bit heavier than my peers around third or fourth grade. At some point during my time in elementary school, my parents and I joined Weight Watchers as a family. I remember having my eighth grade graduation dress custom made because I was too big to buy one off the rack. Back in 1990, it was harder to find plus size gowns.
Over the years, I have spent a fair amount of time and money trying to lose weight. During the summer after my freshman year of high school, I voluntarily chose to attend a Weight Watchers’ prison camp in Lackawaxen, PA for four weeks. I survived my time at Camp Colang and lost 20lbs in the process. Those 20lbs are the most expensive pounds that I have ever lost. Since then, I have tried other diets such as the Atkins’ Diet and have had gym member ships.
Back around 2001 or 2002, I hit my heaviest weight. There was no secret that I was quite fat. It was getting harder to find clothes that fit at Lane Bryant and The Avenue. I had finally gotten to a point where I had to buy The Avenue’s largest size of jeans (largest at that time, perhaps), which were size 32’s. In my quest to find out how much I weighed, I found defeat. My doctor’s scale quit at 350lbs and I was heavier then that. At the time, I happened to be working at a postal distribution center which had walk on scales for the various mail carts. One night while things were slow, I stepped onto a scale and found that I weighed 382lbs. I was steps away from 400lbs and that scared me.
Having tried other diets in the past, I was in the mood for something different. This led me to purchase a book about the Atkins’ Diet. As I read it, I cried a little for some of the things that were written in the book made a lot of sense to me. Actually, if my member serves me, I started the Atkins Diet some time before I started dating my ex-fiancé, David. After dating him for a bit, I got comfortable and went off my low-carb diet, but started it back up a bit after I dumped him.
I managed to go from 382lbs to 260lbs. I went from a size 32 to a size 20. I can’t remember how long it took, but when I was down at about 260lbs, I looked quite good. After my father passed away in 2004, it seems that I went into a bad depression and went off of my program. Back in January of 2008, I got back on track at 342lbs.
On January 15, 2008, I joined the Spark People website. I can’t say for certain how I found it. I may have seen someone post about it on one of the various sites that I visit. The first thing that impressed me was that the site is completely free and the advertising that is on the site is not overbearing. Tonight, I celebrate my 30-day anniversary with the site.
Part of what encouraged me to seek out this site was Chris’ suggestion that I start keeping a food diary so that I could keep track of what I was eating and drinking so that I could take a look at what I could cut out. On Spark People, I have a nutrition page that I can enter in my meals and snacks. The site keeps track of my calories, carbohydrates, protein and water intake. From day one, I started following the dietary suggestions on the site. So far, I have lost 14.5lbs. When I weigh in tomorrow, I hope to be down to 15lbs lost.
The program that I am following is low fat and low calorie and it seems to be working. I am still waiting to see when things slow down, but for the moment, I am losing about 0.48lbs/day. It is a bit fast, but I am not necessarily going to complain. The progress that I have seen so far has been encouraging.
Since starting the program, I have been a bit on the obsessed side about my current attempt at getting healthier. Granted, I will look for almost any excuse to pop open MS Excel to make a spread sheet. Last Thursday, I made a spreadsheet to track my measurements and pounds lost. Using the spreadsheet, I came up with my average number of pounds lost per day, month, etc. So far, if I keep up my progress of losing 15lbs every 30 days, I will end up zooming right along. By October, I could be down by about 112lbs, which would make me 201lbs. It is highly likely that I will hit plateaus and setbacks, but I find that it is nice to dream.
And I do dream, a lot. I know that back when I weighed about 260lbs, I was a size 20. So, I did the math. I wanted to know about how many pounds it takes for me to lose a size, so I came up with an average based on my previous history. On average, if it seems to take me 20lbs to lose a size. Based on my current progress, I could get down to about 201lbs by the end of October. At that weight, I could potentially be a size 14.
I am obsessed.
If I were magically able to keep up my momentum, I am going to have some problems in October. My friend Jen is getting married on October 12th and I am one of her bridesmaids. Her bridal party has already gone out to David’s Bridal and we’ve purchased our dresses. Most of us have already received our dresses. Mine, a size 26, is currently hanging in my closet. Back when we selected our bridesmaid dresses, we asked the sales lady if the dresses could be exchanged if a smaller size ended up being needed and she said yes. I might have to hold her to that as I could be down to a size 16 or 14.
I am not trying to set up unreasonable expectations for myself. Overall, I really like playing with numbers in Excel. And meanwhile, I am pleased to be doing something for myself, which is actually working. My mood has actually improved. My depression has greatly improved and I have been much more cheerful and positive. I just feel so much better already. Even my lower back has not been quite as bad lately.
Things are looking up as other things go down.
Over the years, I have spent a fair amount of time and money trying to lose weight. During the summer after my freshman year of high school, I voluntarily chose to attend a Weight Watchers’ prison camp in Lackawaxen, PA for four weeks. I survived my time at Camp Colang and lost 20lbs in the process. Those 20lbs are the most expensive pounds that I have ever lost. Since then, I have tried other diets such as the Atkins’ Diet and have had gym member ships.
Back around 2001 or 2002, I hit my heaviest weight. There was no secret that I was quite fat. It was getting harder to find clothes that fit at Lane Bryant and The Avenue. I had finally gotten to a point where I had to buy The Avenue’s largest size of jeans (largest at that time, perhaps), which were size 32’s. In my quest to find out how much I weighed, I found defeat. My doctor’s scale quit at 350lbs and I was heavier then that. At the time, I happened to be working at a postal distribution center which had walk on scales for the various mail carts. One night while things were slow, I stepped onto a scale and found that I weighed 382lbs. I was steps away from 400lbs and that scared me.
Having tried other diets in the past, I was in the mood for something different. This led me to purchase a book about the Atkins’ Diet. As I read it, I cried a little for some of the things that were written in the book made a lot of sense to me. Actually, if my member serves me, I started the Atkins Diet some time before I started dating my ex-fiancé, David. After dating him for a bit, I got comfortable and went off my low-carb diet, but started it back up a bit after I dumped him.
I managed to go from 382lbs to 260lbs. I went from a size 32 to a size 20. I can’t remember how long it took, but when I was down at about 260lbs, I looked quite good. After my father passed away in 2004, it seems that I went into a bad depression and went off of my program. Back in January of 2008, I got back on track at 342lbs.
On January 15, 2008, I joined the Spark People website. I can’t say for certain how I found it. I may have seen someone post about it on one of the various sites that I visit. The first thing that impressed me was that the site is completely free and the advertising that is on the site is not overbearing. Tonight, I celebrate my 30-day anniversary with the site.
Part of what encouraged me to seek out this site was Chris’ suggestion that I start keeping a food diary so that I could keep track of what I was eating and drinking so that I could take a look at what I could cut out. On Spark People, I have a nutrition page that I can enter in my meals and snacks. The site keeps track of my calories, carbohydrates, protein and water intake. From day one, I started following the dietary suggestions on the site. So far, I have lost 14.5lbs. When I weigh in tomorrow, I hope to be down to 15lbs lost.
The program that I am following is low fat and low calorie and it seems to be working. I am still waiting to see when things slow down, but for the moment, I am losing about 0.48lbs/day. It is a bit fast, but I am not necessarily going to complain. The progress that I have seen so far has been encouraging.
Since starting the program, I have been a bit on the obsessed side about my current attempt at getting healthier. Granted, I will look for almost any excuse to pop open MS Excel to make a spread sheet. Last Thursday, I made a spreadsheet to track my measurements and pounds lost. Using the spreadsheet, I came up with my average number of pounds lost per day, month, etc. So far, if I keep up my progress of losing 15lbs every 30 days, I will end up zooming right along. By October, I could be down by about 112lbs, which would make me 201lbs. It is highly likely that I will hit plateaus and setbacks, but I find that it is nice to dream.
And I do dream, a lot. I know that back when I weighed about 260lbs, I was a size 20. So, I did the math. I wanted to know about how many pounds it takes for me to lose a size, so I came up with an average based on my previous history. On average, if it seems to take me 20lbs to lose a size. Based on my current progress, I could get down to about 201lbs by the end of October. At that weight, I could potentially be a size 14.
I am obsessed.
If I were magically able to keep up my momentum, I am going to have some problems in October. My friend Jen is getting married on October 12th and I am one of her bridesmaids. Her bridal party has already gone out to David’s Bridal and we’ve purchased our dresses. Most of us have already received our dresses. Mine, a size 26, is currently hanging in my closet. Back when we selected our bridesmaid dresses, we asked the sales lady if the dresses could be exchanged if a smaller size ended up being needed and she said yes. I might have to hold her to that as I could be down to a size 16 or 14.
I am not trying to set up unreasonable expectations for myself. Overall, I really like playing with numbers in Excel. And meanwhile, I am pleased to be doing something for myself, which is actually working. My mood has actually improved. My depression has greatly improved and I have been much more cheerful and positive. I just feel so much better already. Even my lower back has not been quite as bad lately.
Things are looking up as other things go down.
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Personality Tests
Feb. 13th, 2008 | 10:57 am
Right, so after my friend's comment on a previous post...I started going through a few of the other personality tests at the one site just for fun. Yeah, I rather enjoy taking tests. It'll be nice if I ever get around to scheduling an appointment to take the GRE psych subject test.
( Test Results: )
( Test Results: )
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Pick a card, any card
Feb. 12th, 2008 | 08:44 pm
You are The High Priestess
Science, Wisdom, Knowledge, Education.
The High Priestess is the card of knowledge, instinctual, supernatural, secret knowledge. She holds scrolls of arcane information that she might, or might not reveal to you. The moon crown on her head as well as the crescent by her foot indicates her willingness to illuminate what you otherwise might not see, reveal the secrets you need to know. The High Priestess is also associated with the moon however and can also indicate change or fluxuation, particularily when it comes to your moods.
What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.
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Backbeat the word was on the street/ that the fire in your heart is out.
Jan. 30th, 2008 | 12:13 pm
mood: 
morose
Money is currently short because I am not bringing anything in at the moment. Chris has been a lifesaver in so many ways. He is a welcome source of emotional and financial support. I just hope that I find a decent job soon. I do not necessarily wish to end up working at McDonalds asking people, “Would you like fries with that? And how do you feel about your mother?”
Next week, my college is having a job fair. If I have a trustworthy car, then I will head out to it. For now, I’m not sure where things stand with my car. My 1998 Dodge Intrepid ES has about 198,000 miles on it and I am continuously wondering if the poor thing will ever make it past 200k.
A few weeks ago, a new problem developed. When I started the car up, several of the dashboard lights (ABS, traction on, traction off, brake and airbag) stayed on and the fan stopped working. I managed to drive the car home, but discovered along the way that the turn signals and power windows were not working. I later discovered that the problem could be “fixed” by jiggling the key in the ignition. If I did that, then the dashboard lights would go off and the other things that were not working would start working again.
Last night, on my drive home from visiting a friend to pick up my bridesmaid dress, my car gave me more problems. I had just gotten off of the
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The Ouch Continues
Dec. 20th, 2007 | 01:29 pm
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Ouch
Dec. 18th, 2007 | 04:29 pm
mood: 
aggravated
I did not like the look of my savaged finger, so I visited my doctor this afternoon. Apparently, cat bites are notorious for easily becoming infected. The doctor did not like the looks of my damaged finger and wrote out a prescription for a strong antibiotic. He gave me some advice about holding the finger above my heart level to help with getting the swelling to go down. He also cautioned that if it gets bad, then it might be necessary for me to go to a hand surgeon to have the pus drained out and such. Ouch.
So, I spent $48 on the visit to the doctor and $3 on the drugs. I have to take the amoxicillin every 12 hours. I'm waiting around for a humane time to start, like 9pm so the next dose will be at 9am.
Wheee.
So, I spent $48 on the visit to the doctor and $3 on the drugs. I have to take the amoxicillin every 12 hours. I'm waiting around for a humane time to start, like 9pm so the next dose will be at 9am.
Wheee.
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Ouch. No, really. Ouch.
Dec. 18th, 2007 | 12:54 pm
mood: 
uncomfortable
Last night, I was holding Claws and she was purring quite loudly and happily. Things were going well. Towards the end of our time together, her claws got into my sweater. While holding her securely with my left arm, I tried to detach her using my right hand so I could turn her to face the floor to put her down.
At some point, she went nuts. She clamped onto the middle finger of my right hand and bite down multiple times in rapid succession before I could get her down onto the floor. As much as her attack hurt, I managed to keep my shit together long enough to put her down and give her a little swat on the bottom.
As soon as she was away from me, I really started bawling out in pain. The injury really hurt. I had two really ugly puncture wounds towards the base of my middle finger on the top and a few other small wounds from the encounter. I poured hydrogen peroxide over the wound and it bubbled. Then, I washed my injury with soap and water and followed that up with some antibacterial ointment and a band aid after my injury had dried from washing.
Overnight, my finger swelled up. I can't bend my middle finger. It's still swollen now and somewhat painful. I can no longer go to my health center at my college, but my school insurance is good until August. So, I'm waiting to call my family doctor so I can have this looked at. My finger is a little red and ugly looking.
Damn cat. I love her, but I'm not going to do anything more than provide her with her necessities, at least until I heal. This is the worst injury that she has ever given me. Bless her heart.
At some point, she went nuts. She clamped onto the middle finger of my right hand and bite down multiple times in rapid succession before I could get her down onto the floor. As much as her attack hurt, I managed to keep my shit together long enough to put her down and give her a little swat on the bottom.
As soon as she was away from me, I really started bawling out in pain. The injury really hurt. I had two really ugly puncture wounds towards the base of my middle finger on the top and a few other small wounds from the encounter. I poured hydrogen peroxide over the wound and it bubbled. Then, I washed my injury with soap and water and followed that up with some antibacterial ointment and a band aid after my injury had dried from washing.
Overnight, my finger swelled up. I can't bend my middle finger. It's still swollen now and somewhat painful. I can no longer go to my health center at my college, but my school insurance is good until August. So, I'm waiting to call my family doctor so I can have this looked at. My finger is a little red and ugly looking.
Damn cat. I love her, but I'm not going to do anything more than provide her with her necessities, at least until I heal. This is the worst injury that she has ever given me. Bless her heart.
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Life is not perfect, but there are perfect moments in life.
Dec. 13th, 2007 | 03:08 pm
As stupid as it may seem, merely graduating with a 4-year degree is not sufficient enough to please me. I am currently disappointed that my final GPA will not be grand enough for me to graduate with honor. My current cumulative GPA stands at 3.53 and the addition of the last A for the semester isn’t going to make a big difference. The lowest honor level is cum laude and the requirement is a GPA between 3.750-3.849. Even if the college was to factor in my two classes from the community college, it still wouldn’t be enough as it would only bring me up to a 3.59.
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I'm not drunk, yet
Dec. 7th, 2007 | 08:34 pm
Well, I do not feel as though I did a spectacular job on my term paper for my gero internship, but for fuck's sake, at least it's done! I drove into school and delivered the paper today. I didn't even read it. Chris read the first 3-4 pages that I had done last night and offered a couple of suggestions, but overall the start sounded all right. I can't vouch for the last 6-7 pages.
Now, I have one more term paper for another gero class to turn in, but it's based upon the same research, which was on caregiver stress. I also have an eight page paper to hand in on Tuesday for my autobiographical memoir class. I just have to get it done. I don't suspect any major difficulties.
Lately, I've been toying with my ukulele more and more. Damn, I love this fucking instrument. It's such a fun little thing to pick up. It's pretty easy to play. I just wish that I could sing well enough to keep rotten produce from being thrown in my direction. I'm gearing up for the Dresden Dolls' show in Philadelphia this month. I've signed up to brigade again this time and I'm bringing my uke as the main part of my act. I am contemplating dressing up as a character that I have in my head from an old D&D game. Back a while ago, I had put together a half-orc bard to play. Now, I'm thinking about dressing up as her. We'll see. I'm mainly worried about getting proficient at enough songs to be amusing.
Songs that I'm working on include: Fat Bottom Girls, Kiss Me, Paint It Black, November Rain, House of the Rising Sun, Bitches Ain't Shit (Classic, look me up on YouTube), and a few others that I probably can't recall at this time.
I'm still up and down with my moods. I cried a bit while driving out to deliver may paper. It seriously bothers me that my parents are no longer around to be physically present for my grand achievements. It hit me a bit last night when I attended the senior toast at my college. I do take some comfort in Chris' support and that of his parents. Chris and his folks will be there for me at my graduation on the 16th and I'm glad. They're good people. His parents seem to genuinely like me and it makes me somewhat happy. They're really sweet and his mom has told us that they're going to take us out to a nice dinner after my ceremony. Sweet.
I almost didn't attend my senior toast last night. I'm a non-traditional student, meaning that I'm over 25. I feel out of sync and out of place at times, but I talked myself into going. It felt awkward since none of my friends are currently graduating, so I had no one to sit with. I did at least win one of the raffles and received a $150 gift card for Macy's. Macy's isn't a store that I frequent, but the card may be useful for the acquisition of Christmas gifts. Yay.
Now, I have one more term paper for another gero class to turn in, but it's based upon the same research, which was on caregiver stress. I also have an eight page paper to hand in on Tuesday for my autobiographical memoir class. I just have to get it done. I don't suspect any major difficulties.
Lately, I've been toying with my ukulele more and more. Damn, I love this fucking instrument. It's such a fun little thing to pick up. It's pretty easy to play. I just wish that I could sing well enough to keep rotten produce from being thrown in my direction. I'm gearing up for the Dresden Dolls' show in Philadelphia this month. I've signed up to brigade again this time and I'm bringing my uke as the main part of my act. I am contemplating dressing up as a character that I have in my head from an old D&D game. Back a while ago, I had put together a half-orc bard to play. Now, I'm thinking about dressing up as her. We'll see. I'm mainly worried about getting proficient at enough songs to be amusing.
Songs that I'm working on include: Fat Bottom Girls, Kiss Me, Paint It Black, November Rain, House of the Rising Sun, Bitches Ain't Shit (Classic, look me up on YouTube), and a few others that I probably can't recall at this time.
I'm still up and down with my moods. I cried a bit while driving out to deliver may paper. It seriously bothers me that my parents are no longer around to be physically present for my grand achievements. It hit me a bit last night when I attended the senior toast at my college. I do take some comfort in Chris' support and that of his parents. Chris and his folks will be there for me at my graduation on the 16th and I'm glad. They're good people. His parents seem to genuinely like me and it makes me somewhat happy. They're really sweet and his mom has told us that they're going to take us out to a nice dinner after my ceremony. Sweet.
I almost didn't attend my senior toast last night. I'm a non-traditional student, meaning that I'm over 25. I feel out of sync and out of place at times, but I talked myself into going. It felt awkward since none of my friends are currently graduating, so I had no one to sit with. I did at least win one of the raffles and received a $150 gift card for Macy's. Macy's isn't a store that I frequent, but the card may be useful for the acquisition of Christmas gifts. Yay.